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NCUB statement on SPDC Political Af



Subject: NCUB statement on SPDC Political Affairs Committee formed on Sept.

18, 1998
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October 22, 1998

Statement on SPDC Political Affairs Committee formed on Sept. 18, 1998

1. The Committee has 16 members with SPDC Secretary-1 Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt
(Chief of OSS) as Chairman, Lt. Col. Pe Nyein, Director General of the
Office of the SPDC as secretary and Col. Than Tun, Head of the Department
of Office of Strategic Studies (OSS) of the Ministry of Defence as Joint
Secretary. The members are SPDC secretary-3 Lt. Gen. Win Myint, commander
of Rangoon Command Maj. Gen. Khin Maung Than, Interior Minister Col. Tin
Hlaing, Information Minister Maj. Gen. Kyi  Aung, Science and Technology
Minister U Thaung, Education Minister U Than Aung, Chief Justice U Aung
Toe, Attorney Gen. U Tha Dun, Election Commission Secretary U Aye Maung,
Joint-secretary of National Convention Convening Working Committee U Thaung
Nyunt, Deputy Information Minister U Thein Sein, Deputy Chief of OSS Brig.
Gen. Kyaw Win and Head of the Department of OSS Col. Than Aye.

2. A study of the list shows that the committee is composed of people
connected to Khin Nyunt and supporting him. The Committee has been formed
with the aim of controlling political development, through it bears a name
suggesting something else. It therefore seems to indicate that the Khin
Nyunt led faction of the SPDC has managed to strengthen itself compared to
the other members of the SPDC and that Khin Nyunt aims at gaining political
control of Burma.

3. The SPDC has consistently been saying, since it seized state power on 18
September 1988, that it is only a military government and that, as it is
not a political government, it cannot discuss political matters with any
political organization. Now, it seems that this committee could serve as a
side door for escape by proffering political negotiation, should the
situation of the country deteriorate further or a crisis develop within the
SPDC. It is evident that Khin Nyunt and his supporters have made a clever
preemptive move for political initiative. The move is calculated to make
themselves appear as a moderate group trying to avoid bloodshed, while
making other members of the SPDC appear as culprits of the savagery and
repression in Burma. The cease-fire agreements concluded between the
SLORC/SPDC and 15 armed ethnic groups are a good illustration of how  Khin
Nyunt attempts to increase his influence. At that time , he was the one who
stepped forward to take the credit and honour. When negotiations broke
down, such as was the case with the KNU, and a brutal military offensive
involving indiscriminate killings and whole-scale destruction was launched,
Khin Nyunt's supporters spread the rumour that it was done by Maung Aye and
Tin Oo.

4. Moreover, both the chief justice, the attorney general and the secretary
of the election commission are included as ordinary members in the
committee under Khin Nyunt. If a government were to implement a transition
to democracy, there should be separation of powers among the executive,
legislative and judicial branches. There should not be any interference in
one from another. However, in the case of present Burma, Khin Nyunt
controls all the three powers.